Pump



2 Shoots-Sheet l J. M. CALLOW Sept. 22, 1925.

PUMP

Filed April 4,

septfzz, 1925. 1,554,332-

J. M. CALLOW PUMP Filed Abril 4, 1924 `2 Sheets-Sheet 2 'L ATTORNEYS aseparately formed and self-sustaining an- Patented Sept. 22, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN I. CALLOW, 0l' SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, ASSIGNOR TO yGENERALENGINEERING COMPANY, 0F SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, A CORPORATION OF UTAH.

PUMP.

Application filed April' 4, 1924. Serial No. 704,095.

To all whom it may concern.:

Be it known that I, JOHN M. CALLow, a. subject of the King of GreatBritain, residing at Salt Lake City, in the county of Salt Lake, `Stateof Utah, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pumps; andI do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription ofthe invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to pumps, and particularly to diaphragmpumps capa.- ble of withstanding and Working against relatively highpressures. ,The object of the invention is to provide an improved pumpof this ltype.

In carrying out many industrial processes, it is convenient to handlethe various liquors, pulps, and sludges encountered, by means of pum s.In many instances the pulps and slu ges resulting from various processesof treatment. are diiiicult to plump for the reason lchat they maycontain relatively large amounts of solid' matter, and at other timesgritty or abrasive material, which causes extremely rapid wear of thevarious parts of the pumps as theyare usually constructed.

The present invention is therefore directed to the provision of a' pumpwhich is.

particularly well adapted to handle, not only all kinds of fluids, but.also thick, gritty pulps and slud'ges,a'cids, and other corrosiveliquids, and which is capable of operating either as a suction pump oras both a suction and. pressure pump so-that it is readily' ada ted toraise such liquids and pulps to a re atively great height. At the sametime the pump is of extremely simple construction, easy to assemble,possesses inherent strength because of the characteristic shape ofits.various parts, and' can be manufactured at a relatively lowcost, andthereby has a large and varied range of usefulness.

The pump constructed-in accordance with the presentA invention comprisestwo relatively reciprocable members, such, forexl .alnple, as twocircular and substantially parallel discs or plates which are connectedtogether, at or near their peripheries, by

nular diaphragm. The marginal edges of the diaphragm are ofsubstantially the same diameter and are each provided with a bead orother means by which they may be easily clamped to the plates. Thediaphragm is outwardly convex between these miarginal edges throughoutits entire periphery and is constructed of heavily `reinforced material,such as heavily reinforced rubber, which is non-distensible and notparticularly iiexible, but which, at the same time, is capable ofrelatively slight transverse iexure at all points from one marginthereof to the other so that the margins may be moved with comparativeease with respect to one another through a relatively small distance ascompared with the diameter of the annular diaphragm.

By the term separately formed self-sustaining annular diaphragm is meanta. diaphragm which-itself retains a definite configuration previouslygiven to it by a separate manufacturing operation, as distinguished froma. diaphragm that is cut from a piece of sheet material. `A dia.- phragmof the latter type is diliicult to secure to the pump plat-es, isinherently weak, and .is necessarily `given internal strees in forcingit into place upon the peripheries of the plates. By making thediaphragm outwardly convex throughout its peri heral surface, allirregularities or wrink es or bellows-like surfaces are avoided, all oflWhichtend to localize the wear in certain portions of the diaphragm and,hence, at the time the diaphragm is installed, delineate the lines alongwhich the diaphragm will eventually crack. Moreover, the sepaatelyformed self-sustaining outwardly convex structurel possesses extremelhigh inherent strength which enables 1t to withstand correspondinglythigh internal pressures. `lSuch a structure also may easil be heavilyreinforced. The diaphragm o the present invention, however, is stressed,and therefore fiexes, substantially uniformly from one margin to theother.

I have found that a. pneumatic automobile tire casing is particularlywell adapted for use as such a diaphragm and prefer to ,employ such 'atire casing, although, if desired. a specially constructed substantiallytirershaped diaphragm may be used.'

In order that the invention may be more A parts of the pump and themeans for securing the annular diaphragm in place; and

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view showing a modification of the pump inwhich the liquid being pumped is excluded from the pump chamber.

Referring first to Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings, there arehere'shown a pair of circular plates 10 and 11 which are disposed insubstantially parallel relation and form the lower and upper walls ofthe pump respectively. These plates may be dished, as shown, orotherwise formed in order to secure the strength required. The lowerplate 10 is provided with a central aperture 12 and is bolted to thestationary support 13 with the aperture 12 in alignment with apassageway therein which communicates with suitable inlet and outletvalves, the construction and operation of which is well understood.

rlhe upper plate 11 is reciprocable with i respect to the lowerstationary plate 10, and

for this purpose is provided with a boss 14 for connection with asuitable driving mechanism. A separately formed self-sustainingoutwardly convex diaphragm 15, such, ,for

example, as an automobile tire, is secured at its marginal edgesrespectively to the periphery of the lower circular plate 10 and theupper or movable circular plate 11. The` plates 11 and 10, therefore,form the upper and lower walls respectively of the pumping chamber andthe annular diaphragm forms the side wall thereof. One method ofsecuring each of these marginal edges in place is as follows. `Anannular ring 16 having sloping surfaces adapted to engage the-innersloping surface of the annular diaphragm is provided at the periphery ofthe circular plate. A second annular ring 17, so constructed as toconform to the shape of the bead 18, is placed upon the bead, and athird annular ring 19 is laid outside of the ring 17 and, by means of aplurality of bolts 20 which are threaded into the pump plates, serves toclamp the parts together. By this means pressure is exerted upon thering 17 and bead 18 which wedges the margin of the diaphragm between thesloping surface of ring 16 and the inner surface 21 of ring 17.

In Fig. 3, the movable plate 1l is shown at the inner end of its strokewith the diaphragm 15 in *the normal coniguration Iin which it is made.The pump is operated by moving the plate outwardly a relatively shortdistance as compared with the diameter of the plates 10 and 11, as isshown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, and as this movement takes place themarginal edges of the annular diaphragm 15 are separated from oneanother and cause the iexmg of the materia-l of the.

Vinto this space; upon the downward movement or stroke of the plate 11,the liquid will be forced out of the chamber, all in a well understoodmanner. In order to assist in removing the air from the pumping chamber22 when the pump is first placed in operation, or in removing any airwhich might accumulate therein in course of time, a valve 23, vshown inFig. 3 as a hand-operated valve, is provided.

Referring now to Figs. l and 2, the hollow support 13 for the partsconstituting the pumping chamber just described is mounted upon a basewhich is the metal plate 24. The support 13 is provided with inlet andoutlet valves 25 and 26, respectively, through which the liquid to'bepumped is admitted to and dischargedfrom the interior of t-he support 13and the pumping chamber 22 which is in direct connnunication therewith.

The base plate 24 is attached by means of the strengthening steel anglebars 27 to the lower o-rtion of a suitable steel framework 28 whichsupports the various parts o-f the pump in proper relation with oneanother. Secured to this framework somewhat above the top of thediaphragm 15 there is a bearing 29 for an oscillating lever arm 30. Thesho-rt end of this arm extends toward the front of the pump andimmediately over the boss 14 bolted to the movable plate 11 of the pumpand to which this end of the lever is connected throughaforked link 31.The other end of the lever 30 extends rearwardly into substantiallyvertical alignment with a rotatable driving shaft 32 which is mounted insuitable bearings 33 located at the upper part of the framework 28. Anadjustable eccentric 34 is rigidly secured to shaft 32 and the strap 35of this eccentric is connected through the adjustable link 36 with therear end of lever 30.

A pulley 37 mounted on one end of'shaft 32 serves to rotate the shaftandcause the reciprocatio-n of the upper pump plate 11 through theinstrumentalities just described. The motion of the upper plate 11, thatis, its length of stroke, can be varied by changing the stroke of theadjustable eccentric 34, and the output of the pump thus controlledwithout changing the speed of rotation of the shaft 32.

When this pum is operated in connection with a supply of llquid or pulp,for example, the pulp 1s drawn in through the inlet valve on the upwardst-roke of the pump and fills the interior space of the hollow support13, its connecting assages, and the interior of the pump cham r 22. Uponthe downward stroke of the pump, however, the inlet valve 25 closes andthe outlet valve 26 opens, confining the pulp within the pump chambersan forcing it outwardly through the outlet valve. l

By separately forming the diaphragm into an outwardly convexself-sustaining structure, all wrinkles or creases in either theinterior or exterior surfaces of the diaphragm are eliminated so thatthe wear of the diaphragm caused by flexin is not localized in` anyparticular re ions iut is evenly distributed throughout t e entirestructure of the diaphragm. Moreover, a diaphragm of this character canbe easily and advantageously reinforced to a high degree so as toprovide exceptionally great strength.

^ A further consideration is the simplicity of the entire `pumpstructure, and in this connection may be mentioned particularly theadvantage arising from the use of a separately formed andself-sustaining dia-V phragm. Such a diaphra can be mounted upon theperipheries o the pump plates 10 and 11 with great facility and by anordinary workman. The operation of securing the diaphragm in place isalso rendered easy by the use of a, diaphragm the marginal edges ofwhich are provided with a bead which may be readily clamped in place.

In Fig. 4 of the accompanying drawings, the pump is modified so as toexclude the possibility of the liquid being pumped entering the pumpingchamber. In` this modification therpulp or other liquid to be raised isdrawn from a vessel 38 through an inlet valve 39 and is dischargedthrough an outlet valve 40 and the pipe 41 into a vessel 42 at anydesired elevation above that of the pump. The pump dia hragm 15 isoperated b mechanism simi ar to that above descri The support for thelower or stationary plate 10 of the pump, however, is enlar andcomprises a vertical cylindrical 43 extending through the floor 44 uponwluch the pump rests. i

Attached to the lower end of this cylindrical casing by means ofsuitable couplings 45 is a vertical pipe having an upper portion 46 anda lower portion 47. The lower portion -47 'of this pipe is connected -tothe inlet valve 39. The u per lportion 46 extends.

above ,the point w 1ere the out-let valve 40 is connectedsoahat thisortion 46 together with the casing '43 inclu e a volume 'which ispreferably lseveral times greater than the maximum volume ofdisplacement of the expansible chamber of the pum When this pump isplaceelin operation,

above thls junction, but because of thefact that the volume of the pumpchamber is smaller than the volume of the connections between thisjunction and the pump chamber, this liquid will not be drawn into thepump chamber itself, but will only rise a relatively short distance inthe upper portion 46 of the-vertical pipe. During the downward stroke ofthe pump, this liquid which has been raised above the junction 48 is nowforced downwardly and out through' -the outlet valve 40, and into pipe41 against the pressure due to the head' of liquid contained in thispipe. The liquid being pumped, therefore, never enters the chamber ofthe pump, but the direct pumping action upon the iquid being pumped isreally caused by a reciprocating iquid piston with in the upper'portionl46 of the vertical pipe.

The reclprocation of this liquid piston is caused by the reciprocationof the pump.

In order to facilitate the clearing of the -pumping chamber andV itsconnecting passages of air when the pump is first placed in operation,and for maintaining these parts free from air, I have provided, in placeof the hand-operated valve 23 previously mentioned, an automatic checkvalve 49. This valve is arranged to be closed upon the upward stroke ofthe pump and open during its downward stroke. At each `downward strokeofthe pump, therefore, air will be expelled through the valve 49 untilthe interior parts of' the pump are completely filled with liquid. Assoon as liquid begins to issue through the valve 49 a hand-valve 50,provided for the purpose, may be closed. Preferabl however, thehand-valve 50 is always le t open, more or less, and the small amount ofliquid which is discharged is carried back by means of the flexibleconnection 51 andthe pipe line 52 to the supply vessel 38. In this waythe pump chamber is always automatically kept clear of air and becauseof the relatively Ylarge displacement lcapacityvof the pump, the amountof liquid reason for this is that the agitation of this column of liquidcaused by the reciprocation of the pump is insufficient to interferewith the ultimate settling by gravity of the solid particles which theliquid originally contained; nor is the amount of liquid escapingthrough valve 49 sufficient to cause an appreciable amount of freshsolid material to be added to the reciprocating liquid column.

It is entirely' practical, moreover, to introduce a supply of freshclear liquid from an independent source into the pump chamber and itsconnecting passages instead of depending upon the settling action justreferred to. For example, an independent supply of clear liquid, such aswater, may be introduced through the connection 51 and valves 50 and 49,reversing the setting of the latter valve so as to allow liquid to enterduring the downward stroke. In thi's case, the independent liquid supplyis under pressure and a relatively small amount of the liquid is keptflowing downwardly through the pump chamber into the cylindrical casing43 and upper portion 46, where it passes outwardly through the pipe 4lwith the liquid being pumped.

By employing the pump of the present invention in this modified form, arelatively thin liquid is maintained in the pump chamber at all times,'thus facilitating the operation of the pump.

I claim:

1. In a pump, the combination of two relatively reciprocable membersforming a pumping chamber therebetween, and a separately formedself-sustaining annular diaphragm joiningsaid members, the marginaledges of said diaphragm being of substantially the same diameter and theintermediate portion thereof being of greater diameter than said edges.

2. In a. p-ump, the combination of two relatively reciprocable membersforming a pumping chamber therebetween, and a separately formedself-sustaining annular diaphragm joining said members, lthe marginaledges of said diaphragm being joined by a relatively inflexible andnon-distensible portion of greater diameterthan said ed es.

3. An expansible chamber for fluld handling devices comprising tworelatively reciprocable members forming a fluid-receiving chambertherebetween, and a separately formed self-sustaining annular diaphragmjoining said members, the marginal edges of said diaphragm being joinedby a nondistensible portion capable of relatively slight transverseleXure at substantually all points thereof.

4. An expansible chamber for fluid handling devices comprising tworelatively reciprocable members forming a Huid-receiving chambertherebetween, and an annular diaphragm joining these members, the dia.-phragm having a bead along each marginal edge thereof, and meansprovided on each of the members for engaging one of the beads to securethe diaphragm to the members.

5. In a pump, the combination of a casing, a circular head reciprocablewith respectthereto and` forming a pumping chamber therewith, and aseparately formed self-sustaining annular diaphragm having an annularbead along each marginal edge thereof, and means on the casing and thecircular head for engaging said beads so as to secure the respectivemargins of the diaphragm to these members.

6. In a pump, the combination of two relatively reciprocable membersforming a pumping chamber therebetween, and an annular diaphragm joiningthese. members and having a bead along each of its marginal edges, and aclamping ring removably mounted u-pon each of the members forengagingone of the beads to removably secure the diaphragm 'to the members.

7. An expansible chamber for fluid handling devices comprising a casing,a circular head reciprocable with respect` thereto and forming a.fluidi-receiving chamber' therewith, and a separately formed'self-sustaining annular diaphragm having an annular bead along each ofits marginal edges and clamping rings mounted upon the casmg and thecircular head respectively for engaging said kbeads to removably secure'the diaphragm to said members.

8. In a pump, the combination of two relatively reciprocable membersforming a pumping chamber therebetween, and a substantially tire-shapedannular diaphragm joining said members.

S). An expansible chamber for fluid handling devices comprising tworelatively reciprocable circular members forming a fluid-receivingchamber therebetween, and a substantially tire-shaped annular diaphragmconnecting said members throughout their peripheries.

10. In a pump, the combination of a casing, a circula-r headreciprocable with respect thereto and forming a pumping chambertherewith, and a substantially tireshaped annular diaphragm having onemargin 'thereof secured to the casing and the other margin secured tothe circular head near its periphery.

11. An expansible chamber for uid handling devices comprising tworelatively reciprocable members forming a fluid-receiving chambertherebetween, and an annular diaphragm comprising a pneumatic automobiletire casing joining said members.

12. In a pump, the combinationof two relatively reciprocable circularmembers forming a pumping chamber therebetween,

and an annular diaphragm comprising a l pneumatic automobile tire casingconnecting one margin thereof secured to the pump Said membersthroughout their peripheries. casing and the other margin 'secured tothe 13. In a pump, the combination of a cascircular head near itsperiphery. 10 ing, a circular head reciprocable with re- In testimonywhereof Iafx my signa- 5 spect thereto 'and forming a pumping chamture.

ber therewith, and an annular diaphragm comprising a .pneumatic tirecasing having l JOHN M. CALLOW.

